23 - Arnor and Gondor
by DixieLeDix
Summary: The Numenoreans create two new realms in Middle Earth.
1. Chapter 1

3320

Isildur stood on his ship looking back into the west. The dark clouds abd the lightning filled the sky.

He looked into the Palantir, he had with him. It was a confusing image. He saw many Numenoreans, they were all trying to grab each other, but none could. Then he saw he brother and father among them and knew they had survived. He kept looking but Miriel did not appear.

Shouting on the deck of the ship made him look up. A giant wave was approaching them from behind. Isildur gave the command for all of them to find something to hold on to.

The wave twice the height hit them and lifted the ship up into the air, but the Numenoreans had knew how balance ships and the great weight of its people and goods made the ship capable of riding the wave.

Isildur looked as the wave hit the two ships in front of him they also made it through.

The waves also hit Anarions two ships as they were approaching Pelaglir. He ordered them to turn around and face the waves away from the coast and his ships made as well.

The wave however, hit all Middle Earths shores. In the north it passed though the Lhun bay losing its power, but when it hit Lindon it still had enough power for Gil-Galad to understand where it came from.

Elendil looked at the changed landscape west of Ered Lhun.

A Numenorean said: "The wrath of the Valars has claimed even more land for the sea"

Elendil: "But that wrath did not pass the Blue Mountains into Eriador, where people lives. Soon we will be on land and greet our kinsmen."

The Great King had company of Elron, Cirdan and Glorfindel. They both cried when they touched the water.

However, Gil-Galad said, "do not despair, this is not the end the Numenoreans, not for you."

As he was speaking Elendil first ship approached

Elendil stood at the stern. In Quenya he shouted:

"Et Eärello Endorenna utúlien. Sinome maruvan ar Hildinyar tenn' Ambar-metta"

Gil-Galad opened his arms to welcome the sea traveler.

He said; "I welcome the next king of men."

Elendil and his followers embarked the ships.

Elendil walked quickly to the three elves; "Where is my wife, where is Vandlime?"

Cirdan said; "she stayed here many years waiting for news from Numenor, but none came. Last year she decided to travel for Pelargir over land as she wished to reunite with her people."

Elendil said; "I will travel to Pelargir as soon as possible, but I need a place for my people to rest for generations; a realm of our own; a quiet place away from the sea but close to water."

Elrond said; "There is a lake on the other side of these mountains outside Gil-Galad realm. It is quiet and beautiful, especially during sunrise and sunset, and no one lives there. I can show you as I return home."

Elendil said; "Show me this place and I will build my realm there, and named it after the west which I left"

Glorfindel said; "I have come here to aide man against those who deny the gift that Iluvatar has given them. I will travel with you.

In the south, the waves slowly disappeared. Anarions two ships stranded on the shores.

Anarion said; "the passage to Pelargir has changed we need to proceed by land."

He then ordered his people to abandon the ships and head for Pelargir.

Isildur headed his ships towards Edhellond. They were to large to enter the cave, but he landed on the shores of Morthond. All settlements at the shores had been destroyed and there were no people to welcome them.

The ships were overcrowded and Isildur knew they had to stay for the winter. He looked up the Morthrons vale and recognized it from descriptions of his forefathers.

Isildur investigated the vale of Morthond and found it difficult to travel though.

He said; "this reminds me of the tales of Tal-Elmar. He used three days to travel from the mountains to this place."

Shortly after, the Numenoreans were visited by Celeborn and Galadriel.

Celeborn said; "the coastline of Middle Earth has changed, but Edhellond persist. We will help you in your endeavors."

Isildur replied; "We thank you, lady Galadriel. We need to create an image of Numenor in Middle Earth."

Galadriel looked at Isildur and said; "be aware that the seeds from the dark lord stills live in Middle Earth

However, Isildur replied; "we should not be concerned about him. He surely perished together with better people."

In Lindon Elendil and Gil-Galad watched the sun set.

Elendil said; "it is strange. When look west it seems like Arien is no longer in control of the sun."

Gil-Galad said; "I know why this is, the travel west had been changed. A new world emerges!"

Elendil said; "perhaps it is time for the third age of human!"

Gil-Galad said; "if the Dark Lord is indeed dead, we should start counting the years again, but Cirdan tells me he can see darkness in the horizon and Elrond see it in the future. Wait my friend, we will know before our time is over."


	2. Chapter 2

p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"3321/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Anarion rode to the place where the long river was shallot but wide. The current here was slow here most of the year, and people could pass the river in small boat only using oars. There were several stones in the water among them a big flat one in the middle of the river./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Anarion looked at the other side, there were several men there./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Anarion shouted; "who are you? And what business do you have in the land of Anarion."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"One of them men shouted back; "the land of Anarion? That does not sound pleasant! I think we will stay in the land of Isildur."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Anarion laughed as he recognized his brother. He replied; "then maybe we could meet in the middle?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"There were several boats on each side and the brothers to one each and met on the great flat stone in the middle./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Anarion said; "one of your ships arrived in Pelargir last year, but I believe you still were in Edhellond."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Isildur said; "I sailed to Pelargir to meet my wife and Elendur only a month, I see she has also taken care of you son, Meneldil. They told me you were building a new city."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Anarion then said; "yes, I owe her much, and we are building a city around the mountain you in the west." /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Anarion pointed to Mindolluin, the outermost peak of the White Mountains./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"He continued; "However, tell me why you have travelled up the east bank of the river."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Isildur answered; "This land is now also claimed by the Numenoreans. In the gorge in the east I have planted the sapling of Nimloth. I will build a city there for our people still in Edhellond."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Anarion looked at his brother./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Isildur continued with a smile; "you did not believe, I would let my brother take the only credit for creating the capital of our new kingdom, did you?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"The brothers looked at the place for their own cities, and then on the brothers./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Anarion said; "maybe we should build our new capital here then?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Isildur replied; "yes, here on this stone we build a bridge over the river and place for our father to rule."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Anarion said; "a stone bridge!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Isildur added; "in the land of stone!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Most of Elendils people stayed in the north building their new capital Annuminas. Annuminas did not look like Armenelos; it was build in tree not stones and lay next to a lake not a mountain./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Elendil left Lindon with one ship. He had Glorfindel with him. Gil-Galad watched them leave with Elrond and Cirdan with him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Cirdan said; "the captain of this ship is truly the right to lead men."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Elrond added; "and he carry the sword that is now unique in Middle Earth."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Gil-Galad; "Indeed, I will honor him and his sons with a monument which will stand where the first seaman of Numenor first met his kinsmen here."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Elendil sailed to Pelargir and met his sons where the Numenoreans were building the bridge over Anduin./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Elendil was surprised that his wife was not with his sons./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;""Where is Vandilme?" he asked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"His sons said that they thought she was in Lindon./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Elendil said; "the Great King, said she travelled over land with three guards through the cape south of the White Tower."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"However none one knew had arrived from the north since the downfall./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Elendil prepared to travel north to look for her as soon as possible./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"However, before Elendil could leave, people arrived from the south. It was Numenoreans from Umbar./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Their leader met Elendil and his sons. They had company of Glorfindel./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"He said; "we have travelled over land for more than a year- Umbar is destroyed and most people have left."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Elendil said; "we welcome you here in our new kingdom. It is our new home and next year when the bridge over Anduin is finished it will signal the beginning of the new age for men of Middle Earth. Numenor may de gone, but so is Sauron."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"The Numenorean was visible confused. After a while he said; "but Sauron is alive!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"The blood of Elendil and his son froze. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Isildur said; "how can you say this. Sauron was in Numenor when Akallabeth hit."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"The Numenorean said; "yes, but he survived!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Anarion asked; "how do you know this?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"The Numenorean said: "it was a few weeks after the downfall. The harbor was destroyed, but there were no ships. Then he climbed onto the pier. He was weak, as were he human, but his face was terrible, and no one dared to get closer to him."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"The Numenorean continued; "he shouted for help as was he dying. He promised to make kings of those who would help him."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Elendil said; "did no none kill him."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"The Numenorean answered: "no one dared, we hoped we would wither there, but finally two of the king's men carried him away. These were evil men that accepted the gift from Sauron."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Glorfindel said; "this is indeed terrible news. I take comfort in the fact that he is hurt and even though he can get new allies, but he cannot create what he once did. The Great King has foreseen a fight between him and Sauron. He has prepared for this and we will defeat him."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Elendil said; "I will travel north over land shortly and I will lay plans with Gil-Galad."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;" /span/p 


	3. Chapter 3

3322

Elendil, his son and their company had followed the Anduin river north but soon turned north west and followed the White Mountains.

The landscape was silent and empty, and they met no people on their journey. At night they often heard a terrifying but unknown sound in the distance. The men were scared but determination and courage of Elendil made no one despair.

After two weeks they came to a small creek. The was shallow and narrow, but the current was strong fuled with melting snow from the mountains.

They passed the stream and found the skeleton of a horse on the other side. The bones was scattered over large distance.

"Who would do this?" Anarion asked.

His father answered; "there are many beasts of Middle Earth, and many we do not know about."

Isildur looked at the ground; he found the harness of the horse.

"This was a Numenorean horse and rider;" he stated.

The Numenoreans followed the creek back towards the mountains. The next day the open landscape slowly became a forest. As they continued the forest became more dens and it became increasingly difficult to continue.

As they settled for the night, they lighted fire. There were no screams anymore.

A dawn they were surprised by a person approaching the camp. At first thry thought it was a dwarf dur to his size, but as he approached his skin revealed he was human.

He spoke in adunaic and said; "this is the realm of the Drughu! We know who you are! Your war with Gorgun has nearly brought us to distinction."

Elendil answered; "we seek only those we love, a small company of our people, we think they have met problems outside the forest and sought refuge here."

The man said; "this once green province, now belong to the Wargs. Be careful in the open the will wait for you. Here the hillach men can rarely survive, and if they run for the mountain, the people there will kill them, for they have sworn loyalty to the ulag."

Elendil was grieving, he said; "the tracks we followed led us here. Please help us find those we love. Then we will leave and never claim this forest as ours."

The man answered; "we will hold you to that promise. Nor fat from here there is a hill from where a man with a great voice can shout to the entire forest at night time. I will show you."

So, the Drug showed Elendil to the hill with no tree in the middle of the Forest. There the great Elendi shouted for his beloved but to no prevail.

He asked the drug; "you have told me the wargs do not come here, what dangers are their to people who cannot defend themselves here?"

The drug answered; "this is home to many creatures that and no allegiance to others. Especially the boar that live in the fringe of the forest. It will kill not to conquer or eat, but because it fears you."

Elendil soon was alone with his sons at the top of the hill.

"I know she is dead;" he said; "she rests here somewhere, and she is in peace. In time I want the same."

The Numenoreans left and after a few weeks they arrived at the White Tower.

They approached the tower and looked at it; the empty windows and the bare top. It was completely silent as no one would live there.

However, after a while the gate opened; an old man approached them.

He said; "I am Hirgon, the servant of the King of Numenor. I was promised a replacement years ago, as I wanted to see my homeland and family again. All my men had left to participate in the king war, but someone had to stay behind and claim this tower for Numenor."

Elendil said; "I am your king, Hirgon!"

The old man fell to his knees and cried. "my king, I am your servant!"

Elendil unmounted his horse and sat next to the man.

"You have served me well, Hirgon!" he said.

He old man used his last resources and said; "tell me Numenors will prevail."

Elendil said; "I will, that I promise you."

The old man closed his eyes and died. The Numenoreans buried him below Ciryatur.

Elendil said; "here lies those who were loyal to Numenor but did not know what part they played in the struggle between us and Sauron."

Elendil then places on of the Palantiri in the tower.

Far away another group reached another tower.

"is he alive?" Fuinur asked.

"he seems unable to die; "Herumor answered.

The gates of Barad-dur was opened by a hooded figure. He instantly knew who the two strangers had with him.

"Your king has returned!" Fuinur said.

"as his servant, you should honor his promises to us;" Herumor added.

Murazor took Sauron to the top of the tower. There he took up his ring again, but he was silence, as was he not alive.

"leave me;" he said.

And the two Numenoreans and the Nazgul left Sauron. They knew his was weeks and time was needed for him to reunited with the part of his fea that was in the ring.

Elendil and his company came to the hills, which were the border to Gil-Galad's realms. There they were surprised to see three towers under construction. The towers were not as nearly as high as the white tower. The middle tower were a hundred and fifty feet high and the two others a hundred feet.

Gil-Galad was standing on the middle hill.

He said; "these towers will be raised in honor of the greatest Numenoreans; let them never fall!"

Elendil and his son understood that they symbolled the three of them. They placed a Palantir; the greatest among them in the middle Tower."

The Numenoreans stayed in Annuminas for ten years planning for a new uncertainty. They named their country Arnor. Gil-Galad advised them to take control of all land west of the great river, but Isildur would not settle with this and want to extend the borders of Gondor to both the north and south.


	4. Chapter 4

3338

The towers honoring Elendil and his sons were finished. A feast was held for the Numenoreans but no human from Middle earth attended.

Elendil and his sons waned to return home to their family and left Lindon for the south by sea.

Gil-Galad said; "I do not know, what powers the dark lord maintains. However, the evil words of his mouth must be the last to leave him. He will create enemies of you turning the people of Middle Earth against the seapeople. I advise you to make friends of all people of the White Mountains west of your new capital! The we will know where he will strike and be prepared."

In Mordor, the Nazgul slowly approaches their master in the dark tower. He had been alone recovering for years so they did not know what to expect when he called upon them.

Their faces had become pale and without visible emotions except fear. And fear they got when they saw their lord. His face was hideous and scary, but unlike them full of color as was he standing close to a fireplace.

He said; "I have orders for you. You shall return to the east and south; to your former kingdoms and kill all loads and kings there. Let their people know this is the punishment for leaving me in the field of battle."

He pointed to Dwar, Ji-Indur and Uvatha; "you three will join my two new allied from Umbar and make them the new kings of the south. He then pointed to Khamul, Hoarmurath and Ren and told them to travel east to create new kingdoms loyal to Mordor.

When the six had left Murazor asked; "And what do you want of us, sire?"

Sauron answered; "you are all three Numenorean of birth, you will find the elendili for me. But do not let them know your presence."

Elendil took charge over the construction of the bridge over Anduin. He started to build great dome in the middle of the river on top of the stones there.

Isildur was happy, when he saw the white tree grew in his garden in the east. He and Elendur build a wall around the river leading the water from the mountains into the Anduin. They also build a bridge over the stream. It was not long maybe only two hundred feet, but the current below was furious and filled with rocks and deadly to cross. The bridge ran immediately into the gate into the house of Isildur.

Isildur said; "in time, we will extend this wall up to the pass leading to the other side of the mountains. There we will build another wall so that everyone passing here must come though my city."

The city had a thousand feet to the south before mountain raised steeply. In the middle of the city Isildur built his tower. Five high passageways led from the tower to the wall around the city. The northmost to the pass and the southmost to a place where one could look into the valley of Anduin.

Isildur and his son and men concentrated on building their city. They did not notice the hooded figures watching them from the mountains north of the city. This was a happy time for Isildur and his family, and Vorondome could gladly inform her husband that she was carrying his second child.

To the west Anarion and Meneldil also were building their city. Anarions wall was less his than his brother. To Meneldil, Anarion said; "the walls of this place may be less high than those of the city of my brother, but I can build more walls around this mountain as the slopes surrounding us are less steep. The first wall is finished I will name it after my father, the second wall after myself and in time as our city grows you can build a third wall in your own name son."

Next summer Isildurs second son was born. He was named Aratan.


	5. Chapter 5

3378

The bridge over Anduin was finished and Elendil had returned from the north to participate in the celebration. He was surprised to see the craftmanship of his sons and the Numenoreans there. In the middle of the bridge on the south side a great dome had been erected, and on the north side a large hall stood. His sons led Elendil into the hall. The hall assembled the Throne Room of Armenelos, but there were two thrones instead of one.

Isildur said; "we could not agree if the city of the son or the moon should house the place for our people to meet their rulers."

Anarion continued; "so we build our throne room over this great river in the middle of our kingdom."

Elendil laughed; "your kingdom? You can call yourself kings of Gondor, but I am the King of kings and your sovereign."

Elendil presented his sons with a Palantir. This is the strongest among the stones. I will place it here beneath the dome. From here our friends in the north will be informed if danger comes to Gondor.

Elendil also met his grandsons Elendur and Meneldil.

Meneldil said; "the city of my father is also being built and many of the people from Numenor now lives there. My father constructed the first wall and named it in your honor. I am now finishing the second wall and it will be named after him. In time, our ancestors will more wall and eventually reach the top of Mindolluin."

However, Elendur said; "the city of the moon is finished. In the courtyard of my father, the white tree of Gondor now grows. The child of Nimloth. Our ancestry will never be forgotten, and our descendants live on as long as a white tree lives stands in Gondor."

Elendil said; "I wish to see the tree first. Isildur is my firstborn and he nearly died saving this. I will visit the city of the sun afterwards."

Meneldil bowed to acknowledge his grandfathers wish, but when Elendil left, Meneldil did not follow his father and grandfather.

Elendil and his sons climbed the pass into Mordor. They saw the mountains in the distance. It was surrounded by a thick fog, almost invisible.

Isildur said, "we do not enter this land, it is silence and always covered in fog, no crops grow here and there are nothing to hunt."

Elendil said; "I do not like this fog, I fear what is behind it. I will bring Glorfindel here. He knows no fear and will find out what is behind this."

Elendil prepared to leave the south again, but before he could leave Isildur told him his wife was waiting another child.

Elendur gladly followed his grandfather north, but Meneldil stated; "I wish to stay here in Gondor. We still have constructions left before our kingdom is worthy of Numenor."

Elendil said to Meneldil; "be careful when you speak of things you have never seen. You were the last person born in Numenor, and thus can call yourself a Numenorean. However, I doubt you do remember its glory. We can build in the spirit of Numenor, but our beloved kingdom is gone, and will never be restored."

Then Elendil smiled to his grandson and continued; "we need both hands for the hammer as well as he sword. Your work here will be remembered."

Next spring Isildurs third son was born. He was named Ciryon by Isildur, after the great traditions of the sea travels of Numenor.


	6. Chapter 6

3399

The third wall of Minas Anor was finished and Meneldil celebrated his achievement by naming the wall after himself.

The Numenoreans had used their skills to carve into the mountain and as the mountain slopes got steeper the city grew higher.

Elendur and his father and brother attended the celebration, but they found it difficult to clear their hearth of worries. Meneldil happily told his family that his wife was pregnant.

As the celebration ended Isildur bid his brother goodbye, but he did not turn eastwards towards the great river and his own castle. Instead he followed the mountains southwest across the many river of Gondor. His followers crossed the river Ringlo. They met only a few people there, but Isildur made them swear allegiance to Gondor. They then travelled up the river Ciril, and finally came to a pass that slowly emerged in the west.

One of their local scouts said; "the people living here told us, that a giant once died here, his bones makes up the mountains in front of us."

Finally, Isildur and Elendur reached the northmost valley of the Morthond river. There they settle for a few weeks telling the few people they met there, that they had come to parlor with the king of the mountains.

After four week a young king came with his guards and nobles. Isildur was surprised with his apparenr age that seems to be younger than his son Elendur.

He said, "Are you him, they call the king of the mountains?"

"I am"; the king said

Isildur said: "Your people once were close to ours, but you were misled and swore allegiance to the dark lord. If you now recognize Gondor as your masters, we will forgive you."

The young king said; "and how do we do this?"

Isildur then said; "I have brought with me this stone from Numenor."

He pointed to a man high stone the had brought with him from the great river.

He said; "this stone origins from Numenor. If you place your hand on this and swear loyalty to Numenor, you shall never fear our anger, and we will always protect you and your borders. However, if the Edain ever should come in peril we will require you assist us.

The king and his subjects all swore. The Numenoreans buried the stone at the place where they met. The half of it was beyond ground.

"This stone shall mark the border between our realms;" Isildur stated.

The young king of the mountains did not react to Isildurs speech. He just looked emotionless in silence.

Isildur and Elendur then returned to Osgiliath to meet his sons and Anarion and Meneldil.

There, they witness the birth of the firstborn great grandson of Elendil. Meneldil named him Cemendur. Meneldil said; "when my son grows up, he will build another wall around my father's castle."

At Barad-dur the Nazgul returned from many years abroad. They informed the dark lord, that the people of the east and south of Middle Earth was now again controlled by the kings of the dark lord.

"Good!" Sauron said; "now, we will attack the seapeople before they are able to create what they did when they were protected by our enemies. Now they have no allies! The great king in the north has forsaken them and they have no alles."


	7. Chapter 7

3420

Glorfindel came to Minas Ithil. There he saw the magnificent castle that Isildur had built. The Numenorean had carved into the rocks so most of the city was underneath the mountain. The area outside the mountain was huge and covered an area like the first wall of Minas Anor. There small animal household could supply the city with food. However, if the population wanted crops or fruit they had to grow this on the fertile areas of the eastern bank of Anduin. In the middle of the courtyard Isildur tower stood, it had five branches reaching out to the outer wall. The northmost branch followed mountain side until it reached twice the height of the tower. In front of the tower a tree stood.

Isildur said; "this is the white tree of Gondor. I nearly lost my life taking a sapling from Nimloth the Fair. Now it flowers for the first time. As with Nimloth and Numenor, I predict that should Gondor loses its White Tree it will doomed like Numenor.

Isildur said; "we have caved this path into the shadow land. No one can attack us from the north as the river runs steep through dangerous stones, and its sources is almost at the top of the pass."

Glorfindel looked at the less steeper mountains to the south and asked; "could an enemy not come from these mountains?"

Isildur said; "they could, but these mountains are higher and wider and their roots steeper than those at the north. They could try to throw stones at us, but they will not this this path or the city as they fall into the river."

They climbed the path leading to the top of the pass into Mordor. There they stood like Aldarion and Murazor before them.

They looked into Mordor. The horizon was gray, and only a single mountain in the distance could be seen."

Glorfindel pointed to the mountain. "What is this?" he asked.

Isildur answered; "I do not know it is always covered in fog. We have send a few scouts into this land but they have not established contact with anyone. So the later year we have concentrated on building of Minas Ithil.

Glorfindel said; "Gil-Galad once named this country Mordor, because he felt uncertain to its real nature. I will investigate this country. I encourage you to build a defence here in the meanwhile."

Isildur said; "we will be building a wall here by digging into the ground so that a level of a hundred feet will be met anyone trying to attack us from here."

Glorfindel said; "be prepared Isildur, listen to your father, he understands why. I will leave you now, but my advice is to arm the Numenoreans."

Later that year the bridge over Anduin was finished and the great hall was risen in the middle. There the thrones of Isildur and Anarion stood. In extension the hall to the south the doom of the stars was there in the brother kept the Palantir of Osgiliath their new capital. Underneath the doom the brothers had prepared their funeral chambers as the Numenoreans had used Noirinan.

Covered in fog, the Nazgul met with Sauron in Barad-dur.

Khamul said; "Your empire has now been rebuilt. In the east and south all are now loyal to you sire."

Sauron said; "we are near victory. Let the armies gather but keep your preparation silence. We will take the seapeople with surprise.

Sauron went alone into the chamber of Sammath Naur; the smoke was intense, but it did not harm him.

He kneeled in front of the fire below.

He shouted; "my lord, we are close!"

A voice from the fire below said; "you win, or you lose, if you cannot win I must find my way back. But in the end, you will be judged by your failures by me."

Sauron ran outside haunted by fear.


	8. Chapter 8

3428

Sauron entered the dark cave. There was almost no light only a pair of eyes hidden in a crack in te wall.

"Stop!" she said as Sauron approached.

"You know it is me," Sauron said with confidence.

"You have changed since the last time I saw you! Shelob said; "be the bat that flew around in my caves the last time I saw you."

"I cannot anymore;" Sauron said; "I defeated the seapeople and survived; "but it cost most of my resources among them what I learned from the skinchangers during the Akallabeth."

Shelob answered; "then you lost in one glory moment, what I took me to lose for ages. When I left Javannah for Ungoliant, I kept my beauty, even after my new lady disappeared in the south. However now I have starved too long, I can never be the Maia again. Do you know what eventually will be the last of us people will notice? Our eyes! We look deep into the soul of men, but eventually we cannot get them to act."

Sauron said; "then we cannot be a pair and we cannot command each other either. However, it is true I destroyed the realm of the seapeople and neither Manwe, Ulmo or Orome reacted; only the creator, by moving the land of the tree beyond Middle Earth. And our lords will eventually return; come with me and I will show you the remaini9ng fire of my master."

Sauron looked at the eyes in the dark; "they are gone, Shelob! Orome will not hunt us anymore. You once lived there and lived good, feasting on Avari and men until Orome passed with the Eldar."

"and will I be able to feast there?" Shelob asked.

Sauron said; "Yes! There is a high pass to the west. The survivors of the seapeople is trying to build a defense there, but I will destroy this. You will have to do nothing but hide in the mountains east of the great rivers as you once did and guard the pass to the west. You can take any number of man orcs travelling through, and if elves or men should try to pass, you and you alone decide their fate."

Shelob said; "I will think about this. But remember I will never be subject to you. The daemons might obey your master without hesitating, but I like the dragons has a will of my own or of that of my master."

Sauron left the cave. He left the east; after a while he met with Khamul, Hoarmurath and Uvatha.

Khamul said; "Will she join us?"

Sauron answered; "No! but our goal is the same, destruction of the western lords influences in Middle Earth. We react not gather your armies!"

In the pass into Mordor Isildur and Anarion stood.

Isildur said; "it is strange but the last five years the fog in the distance has turned from grey to dark."

Anarion said; "I do not like this uncertainty. The protection of your castle brothers is too weak on this side."

As Anarion was finishing his statement a loud noise could be heard in the east.

The brothers stood for a while and felt the ground beneath them shaking slightly. The they looked into the distance. It was a fire had been lightninging in the lover part of the sky.

The brothers stood there for a while. The fire seemed to clear the air. 'slowly the distance became more visible and the outline of a huge mountain could be seen.

"Look!" said Anarion, "this confirm our scouts reporting of a lone mountain covered in clouds."

"But not in fire!" Isildur added; "I will speed up the creation of defenses on this side of the pass."

The brothers agreed to send out scouts to find out what this new sign from the east meant.


	9. Chapter 9

3429

It was morning. Isildur showed Anarion the small blasts of fire in the distance in the east.

"They have been constantly increasing the lasts months;" Isildur said.

"However, the fog seems to be clearing;" Anarion said.

"I do not like this, I fear what it will reveal" Isildur mumbled.

The brothers stood there with other Numenoreans soldiers for a while until a handful of riders came out of the fog, riding up the slopes towards the pass.

The leader recognized the brothers immediately.

"Sire! There is a huge army following us. They are at least a thousand but could be many more as we could not count them in the distance;" he said.

Isildur said; "how far away are they?"

The man answered; "I would guess four to five hours; they seem to be orcs on foot."

As he spoke an even larger fire burst came from the distance. It cleared the fogs around it and revealed the slope of a mountain side.

"It is him;" Anarion said.

"Alert the city!" Isildur commanded and the men continued down the path to Minas Ithil.

More blasts came from the mountain and the mountain in the distance became clearer.

Isildur said; "We must alert our father and the Great King. This was what he foresaw. This road is steep, but it can be climbed. Last year we started to dig a way through the pass so it would be easier to pass, but so deep that you would fall to your death should you try to reach it from the mountain sides. This year we have just started to move stones and dirt to make a narrow wall here to prevent attack from the east. He must have seen that and decided to attack before it is finished."

Anarion said; "can we hold him here?"

Isildur said; "if it is orcs on foot, we can."

The fire from the mountain increased and slowly cleared the fog. The landscape below became clearer and clearer. The Numenoreans archers started to arrive at the pass.

Finally, they could see their enemy in the distance below marching west.

Isildur said; "they are not a thousand, but ten thousand. We can still stop them as they cannot all attach the pass at the same time."

Anarion looked up and pointed; "but they can!"

In the distance three Nazgul flew in the air.

"You have to evacuate Minas Ithil;" Anarion said.

Isildur was angry and said; "and give up the city, I have just built?"

Anarion tried to calm his brother; "send all who cannot fight to Osgiliath. If necessary, we can destroy the bridge."

Isildur was frustrated and looked at Anarion.

"I will stand by you, brother;" Anarion said.

Isildur commanded his men; "do as my brother says! Evacuate the city!"

He turned around and stood with his brother. His son Elendur came to them.

"Bring the Palantir of Minas Ithil to me;" Isildur said to him.

In Elostirion, the tallest of the three towers, Gil-Galad built to honor Elendil and his son, the Great King sat with Elendil looking into the Palantir.

Gil-Galad said; "the end has begun. He did indeed survive the downfall, but he is weaker than when Ar-Pharazon challenged him whereas we are stronger. I have prepared for this."

Elendil asked; "What shall I do?"

Isildur said; "gather you men and prepare them for war! Elrond and Cirdan will do likewise."

Elendil said; "I will not change my new peaceful city Annuminas into a castle. It was built without defenses and shall remain so."

Gil-Galad said; "there is a lone hill not far west of Imladris in sight of the road. Take the last Palantir you have and gather your army around this hill. Then we will join your there. We will create an alliance of men and elves Middle Earth has not seen since the end of the first age."

At the pass at Minas Ithil, Saurons orcs start to climb the mountain. They were met by arrows several miles before the summit and the progress were slow.

However, the three Nazgul flew close to the pass and scared the Numenoreans, who took cover each time, and let the army below come closer.

Suddenly the Nazgul changed direction and flew into the west though the valley.

"Where are they going;" Elendur said to his father.

"The civilians who we evacuated!" Isildur said and his face turned pale; "they are hours from Osgiliath. The Nazgul will reach them before they arrive there."

Elendur wanted to rush to help, but Isildur grabbed his arm.

"You cannot reach them, son;" he said.

"I have to try!" Elendur said; "my mother is there;" and Isildur let him go.

The sun was setting in the west, and the people of Minas Ithil hurried to the to safety before it became dark. Vorondome the wife of Isildur was leading the civilians.

The people saw the Nazgul approaching from the easy, and many started to run others to hide.

As the Nazgul was about to dive into the Numenoreans a sharp light appeared in the north. The light stopped the Nazgul, and they returned east.

A lone rider had created the light. It was Glorfindel of Gondolin who had returned to help the Numenorean. He followed the people to Osgiliath where they were met by Meneldil, son of Anarion.

He hugged Vorondome, his stepmother, who had taken care of him since he was a child.

Glorfindel said to him; "I need access to the Palantir in the Doom of the Stars."

Vorondome said; "my husband has already informed the Great King of the attack."

Glorfindel answered; "this is not my message for him. I wish to inform him of the much greater army approaching from Rhovanion."

The wall around Osgiliath were much smaller than those of Minas Ithil and Anor, so the Numenoreans prepared to be ready to destroy the bridge, if needed.

The Nazgul returned to Minas Ithil and started to attack the Numenoreans there. As the days passed it became obvious that the castle could not be held.

"We have to redraw to Osgiliath;" Anarion stated.

Isildur said; "take the Palantir in the Tower and bring it to Osgiliath. I will follow with the rest of our men."

And Anarion did as his brother requested and took the Palantir and most of the men and rode hastily to Osgiliath. There they waited nervous for the fate of Isildur.

Finally, they saw the riders approaching them. They were attacked by the Nazgul which killed many of them, but most of them made it into the safety of the light of Glorfindel at Osgiliath.

Anarion smiled when he saw his brother.

"What took you so long, brother?" he asked.

"This!" said Isildur and shoved a sapling of the white tree from the courtyard of Minas Ithil, "when I was young I nearly lost my life saving the sapling from Nimloth which became the White Tree of Gondor. I had to leave my city, but I would never do it without this."

"There is a small place on the western side of the bridge, it can grow there in safety even if the eastern side should be lost;" Anarion said.

The Numenoreans waited for the attack on Minas Ithil for weeks but it did not come. Sauron needed more warriors and the Nazgul feared the power of Glorfindel.


	10. Chapter 10

3430

The orcs from Mordor had camped outside the range of the Archers in Osgiliath. Isildur and Anarion kept many men in the eastern part of the city, but they also had to patrol the western river bank from the north where the river bended westwards and south to Pelargir.

Vorondome was waiting for Isildur in the Great Hall in the middle of the river. She had asked for her husband to come. She sat in his throne.

Isildur entered and said; "I hear you seek me, so I have left the defense of our capital to my brother and our sons. "

Vorondome answered; "true! And I am positive they will defend the realm of the Numenoreans."

Se looked at Isildur and continued; "but how shall we protect those who are not capable of defending them who are not capable of defending themselves?"

Isildur said; "those we bring into safety. After all these are the ones we fight for."

Vorondome then said; "you are strong and right. I then hope for your permission to bring our child to safety."

Isildur answered; "they are now all strong enough to fight. There are no guaranties that they will never be hurt but they will accept nothing less than is expected from other Numenoreans!"

However, Vorondome said; "you cannot answer for those who have yet to be born."

Isildur looked at his wife without understanding.

Vorondome continued; "remember our last night in the castle, Isilme? We were young when Elendur was born; much has happened since, but our love remained. Now we are much older than other people having children., but the vitality of Numenor has stayed in us. I am expecting a child in the spring."

Isildur kneeled before hi wife and took her hand.

I want to travel to Angrenost before the child is born to be safe;" she said.

Isildur was happy, he said; "do this, I promised you to protect your children against the coming danger, and I sense we all shall survive this ordeal. Take the last Palantir and place it in Angrenost, I will keep the Ithil stone at me. Thus I will know when our child will be born."

In the north, Elendil was gathering his army.

Elrond came from Imladris.

He asked Elendil to see his sword.

Elrond said; "I see I made no mistake in giving this to your ancestor. You are the true owner of Narsil."

Elendil said; "I am over three hundred years old, but I feel stronger than ever. No one will come unhurt in my way after I draw this sword.

The Numenoreans gathered around the hill and build a small tower on the top. Before the year had ended, all elves of the north had joined them and the tower was finished. It was a windy day and Elendil named the hill Amon Sul.

Elendil often sat in the newly build tower and looked into the Palantir.

He could not speak to his sons direct, but he saw the threat from the east approaching Gondor.

"The dark lord is not attacking Osgiliath"; Elendil said; "I wonder why that is."

Gil-Galad said; "he is waiting for his allies in the east. While he waits, he hopes for your son to attack his own castle. Do not underestimate his strength, he will also gather warriors in the south and march to Pelargir."

Elendil did not react, so Gil-Galad continued.

"However, he will not know the strength of the alliance now formed by men and elves. This will not be the end for the Numenoreans, but the beginning of a new age for men."

Elendil continued; "and for elves".

Gil-Galad said; "no, my friend. The glory of the Noldor will be shown this last time, but the future of Middle Earth belongs to men. The next year this alliance will climb the mountains to the east and march south. We will multiply our strength and march south not stopping before we stand inside Mordor."

Just before the winter came, Vorondome gave birth to a fourth son. New that where received with joy in both Osgiliath and Amun Sul with joy.


End file.
